Pokemon: The Black Heart Theory
by CodexEntry001
Summary: He awakens on the beach of a foreign city with no memory of his life prior. Everyone is clammorning for his story yet he has nothing to tell and slowly realizes no one to trust. Who is Theory, why are they hunting him? Why is he so important? Time is not on his side as the mask slowly falls uncovering an ancient evil, a brewing war and a divided resistance in this new reality.
1. Chapter One: Awakening

_**Chapter One: Awakening**_

Sounds of waves surround him. He opens his eyes, slowly, his throat dry. The sun strong on his skin. Weak and in pain. Someone is speaking at a short distance away. Some mumbling, a few voices, they get closer. He feels cold fingers suddenly, on his neck, the soft touch triggering a burning sensation throughout his body. "He's alive!" The voice of a young man says, this time clear and full of despair. "Be careful how you touch him, his skin looks battered" another voice says close by, this one belonging to an older man. Sirens...I can hear sirens coming. Are they for me? "What happened to you, light?" The younger man whispers. "Back away, they're here!" I want to open my eyes, I want to wake up, I ...just can't, I just need to sleep. There is only silence now.

I hear an echo. Distant voices again. One drowns out the others though...it's a woman...she's screaming. The other voices are getting louder now...another woman...two of them...three? No, I hear men to, everyone is screaming, I can hear the ocean...why can't I see anything, it's all black. Try to focus on the sounds, they're everywhere, movement, everywhere. A howl from above sends a shiver down my arms and back. It sounds massive, angry, some kind of creature, it seems hurt. Someone's grabbing my arms, they're hugging me now, they're speaking to me, I can't make out any words, it's all distorted. Everything is fading, losing myself again. A low beep is all that is left in the darkness.

He opens his eyes slowly, his sight is blurry, he can hear phones ringing nearby and that same faint, continuous beep. Was it a dream? He's laying on a large bed surrounded by a snow white curtain. A sharp burning pain comes from his arms. "What..is this"? He says in a dry, raspy voice, the saliva in his mouth almost non existent. The words themselves feel as if they're tearing through his throat. He tries pushing himself up with his hands, but fails, his arms wobbling, weak and frail.

As his sight becomes clearer, he sees his legs under some white sheets. His brown hair, long and frizzy, covering his sight slightly. The faint ding is louder and faster now as he comes more into consciousness. "What is this?! He begins to repeat. "What's going on?!" He rips out the IV in his arm and moans in severe pain. "Hey, hey you're okay!" A soft voice says nearby. A nurse slides open the curtain surrounding his bed. He starts breathing heavily, eyes wide open in a panic. "You're okay, take deep breaths" she says placing her hand on his chest. "What are you doing?" "Take your hand off me!" "Where am I?!" He smacks her hand away and grips the handles of the hospital bed tightly, trying to breath. A plethora of emotions flood his mind at full speed. "You need to calm down, take deep breaths" the nurse trying everything she can to comfort him.

The air suddenly feels as if it's leaving his lungs. He inhales deeply, let's go of the handlebars and falls back into the bed unconscious. Everything once again fading back to black. A euphoria engulfs him in his silent darkness. He is floating now. The familiar waves surround him, his body moving with their current. I'm okay.

"Sweetie?" a woman's voice asks, almost a whisper, waking the lost boy. He opens his eyes, his head feeling a thousand pounds. This time only slight pain. The nurse beside him is smiling holding a large glass of water. He snatches it from her and chugs it down, water dripping from the corners of his mouth. "Slowly sweetie, slowly!" He downs the glass and looks up at her. "How are you feeling?" He attempts to clear his throat and rubs his head. "Ah.." he wince's. "Careful!" "You're severely sunburned, try not to move to much or touch your face okay?" He looks at her confused. "My name is Lucy, can you tell me yours?" He looks down at the sheets trying to remember…"M-Max?" "Max?" She repeats, asking him for confirmation. "I…yes." He shakes his head, grabs the empty glass and lifts it up in front of him, his weak arm shaking. She smiles and grabs him a refill.

"Well it's nice to meet you Max, can you tell me a little of what you remember before coming here?" "I don't know, I can't remember" he says wiping his mouth after finishing his second glass. "Where are your parents, where's home?" He shuts his eyes tightly trying to pull anything, he looks back at her shaking his head, despair in his eyes. "What does this mean?" His voice cracking. "I...I don't know who I am!" "You know your name, that's a start" she says in a soft, comforting voice. "Your body has gone through some significant trauma, I'm sure this is temporary, don't stress about it, rest." The door to the room opens "Chansey!" It says walking in, pushing in a kart containing some vitamins and more water. "That's a Chansey?" Max asks enchanted by its presence. Nurse Lucy smiles, "well, you can remember the names of Pokémon, that's a very good sign."

"What trauma have I gone through?" "Where in the world am I ?" "Well…" She looks over at the large glass window looking into the room from the main hall. A tall bearded man stands, hands crossed against his chest, leaning against the wall looking in. "I'll have detective Holland explain Max, he's been wanting to talk to you for a while now...the entire world does actually." "What does that mean?" "Not now sweetie, rest, you have some burns throughout your body that need lots of healing so be careful, I'll be right back." She closes the blinds of the large glass window, blinding the man outside.

After a few hours, a knock comes from the door, the tall man from before walks in. He's middle aged, in shape, thick white beard and pearl white, combed over hair. He has on a white button up tucked into his beige pants. He opens a small window in the opposite side of the room; a flock of Wingull fly by. The smell of the ocean air fills the room. "How're you feeling sport?" He asks, his voice deep. Max remains silent, wary of the mysterious detective.

The man sits on a chair beside Max's bed. "My name is H…" "Detective Holland" Max interrupts. "The nurse told me, I'm assuming you know my name is Max." "He speaks!" "Hahaha, that's right I do." "Good, can you please tell me where I am and what I'm doing here?" "You're asking me why your here?" Holland repeats still chuckling. Max stares at him with a helpless rage. "Okay now, don't get to worked up." "You are in a hospital in Cherrygrove city." "Cherry…?" Max thinks, pulling nothing from his memory of such city. "I've never heard of it." "It's a small city in the Johto region, that's where you are now." "You were found by a farmer and his grandson on a small beach nearby about two weeks ago, you've been in and out for those two weeks, in fact, this is the first time you're actually having a conversation with anyone without being in a complete panic." Max's eyes race around the room, his breathing starting to get faster. "I can't remember my parents or my friends or even a home, I can't even remember my last name!" "What am I going to do, is it going to come back?!" Holland raises his large hand in Max's face and snaps his fingers. "Relax!" "We're going to figure it out, your safe now."

He leans back in his chair and scratches his long white beard. He takes a Pokeball off his belt and taps it, expanding it, a light pours out into Max's bed revealing a red shell. Max looks at it and back at him confused.

A shiny, round, blue head slowly pops out. "A Squirtle?" The Pokémon stands up and stares at Max before jumping into his arms. It hugs tightly rubbing its face on his chest. The pain from the sunburn is harsh, Max endures it, hugging the Pokémon back. The embrace fills him with an overwhelming warmth. Oddly enough, it's the first time since he's awoken that he's felt...safe. Holland smiles. "We found this little guy with you along with a few others." Squirtle let's go and sits by Max, continuing to stare at it's friend. "It was the only one in good shape, mostly because being around the ocean comes natural for it, the others need some rest and care, they're at the Pokémon center now, you'll see them shortly."

"People have the right to know!" A voice yells out from outside the room. Max can see two security guards whisk away a man yelling towards the room. He looks back at Holland, concerned.

"You're pretty famous around here" he shrugs closing the door. "Who was that?" "A journalist, I'm assuming, one that found a way in." "What do they wanna know?" Holland chuckles, "your story, it's fascinating!" "These journalists and bloggers will do anything to get it first." "What story?" "Max, you were lost out at sea for who knows how long!" "We find you washed up on a beach with nothing to identify where you came from then you finally wake up with amnesia, you can't make this stuff up." Max sinks in his bed. "Oh hey c'mon now, it's very interesting, but of course we'll be taking our time with everything and make sure to give you the time you need."

"I've put your picture out everywhere, we've been searching, but no one has come forward claiming to know any information about you, it's a bit of a waiting game now." "We can't quite figure out how you ended up on that beach, the only logical thing that comes to mind is you must have been on a boat that sank, but there hasn't been any reports of that happening anywhere in Johto." "How has no one come to find me?!" "How can I not have a friend or family member anywhere?!" Holland scratches the back of his neck with no answer. "Maybe I don't have any…" Max says softly to himself, losing himself to his own words. Squirtle tugs at his shirt with a concerned expression on its face. It yells out trying to communicate with him. He stares in its eyes as it explains. Max rests his hand on its smooth head, "you know if I do don't you?" "You know me." "Doesn't matter though I guess, it's been what two weeks you said since I was found and brought here?" "If I had someone somewhere, that cared, they'd be here." "I was a lone Lycanroc with no pack." He says trying to cheer himself up, his short lived smile now fading. "Remembering the names of the Pokémon you see is a really good thing." Holland says standing up from the chair. Max lays down and turns away from him on his side. "You still need time to heal, it'll all get figured out, just make sure you don't leave the hospital until it does." After a few seconds, the door shuts, Holland leaves. Max silently cries under the covers, Squirtle curls up next to him and pops back into its shell.

A few days later, Max awakens feeling a warm sensation on his cheek, he scratches it and turns on his opposite side. Again, the sensation now on his other cheek. He wipes it with his arm, "Ah!" He yells out from the burning pain it causes. He opens his eyes to a small tongue dragging up his cheek. He pops up in his bed. "Eevee?" The Pokemon jumps in place a few times before running up to him and cozying up on his lap, alongside Squirtle. "He lives!" A voice yells out. Max grabs his chest, the loud voice startling him. "Oh dude, I totally didn't mean to scare ya." An older gentlemen with glasses and a white beard twice the length of Holland's stands at the foot of his bed. He's wearing a mustard yellow vest and khakis with a black bowler hat and cane. Another person steps out from behind him, this one younger, hair a messy blonde color, shoulder length. He's wearing a white tank top and black swim tights. The younger one walks to Max's bedside, "looking a lot better there light!" He says softly punching Max's shoulder. "OH MY F….!" "Sorry, oh dude I'm so sorry!" The sincerity is clear in his tone, but fails to cover up the laugh he's trying to hold back.

Max takes a second to pull back the tears of pain. "Light?" Max asks. "It's a term of endearment…this is my grandson Dylan, I am Mr. Burke." "Nice to meet you Burke." "MR. Burke" he reiterates loudly. "Pop c'mon" Dylan puts his hand on his shoulder hinting to his grandfather to lighten up. "Light is a beautiful thing in this life man, with many meanings." "You are a miracle, you shouldn't have been alive how we found ya, but you were, that's a miracle, that's a light." Max nods his head somewhat understanding. "The end kinda threw me.." Mr. Burke clears his throat loudly. "We found you on the beach and wanted to check up on you."

The farmer and his grandson Holland was talking about Max thinks back. "I don't even know what to say, but...thank you, I most likely wouldn't be here had it not been for you guys finding me." "No problem light, so the news is saying you can't remember a thing huh?" Max rolls his eyes, sighing. "Not a thing, I've been trying these past few days, doing exercises the nurses keep recommending for me to do, but nothing, just my name."

A wet prickly substance on Max's back freezes him in place. It slowly makes its way up his back. "What's on my back?!" "What's on my back?!" Dylan peaks, "it's just a Pokémon dude." "WHAT?!" The substance makes its way to his shoulder sending a shiver down his spine. "It's…" Max says finding the words. "A Wurmple." Dylan says backing away in fear of the bug type. "A Wurmple, yea but it's purple?" "Yes, beautiful coat on that one" Mr. Burke says adjusting his glasses. "Not the word I'd use" Dylan says from a distance, "thing has like a hundred legs all just moving, pushing it slowly along, all slimey...ugh." Max unphased by the type uses his index finger to rub the side of Wurmple's face, amused by Dylan's reaction. Dylan dry heaves walking to the door. He coughs a bit before clearing his throat and pointing to the ground in front of the bed. Max leans forward and sees two more Pokémon standing still at a distance.

"That's a Ralts I know that, I'm not sure what the other is called." Ralts peaks up at Max from her tilted head, and quickly drops it back down after making eye contact with him. "Shy huh?" Max asks. "Come here little guy." Ralts keeps its face hidden. He slides his legs off the bed, about to make his way to her. She backs away. "Best take your time with her, she seems to have a few trust issues, that's normal" Burke assures. "The Orange dude doesn't move much unless your really close and when it does, it's to take a bite out of ya." Dylan warns. "It's known as a Trapinch, common in the Hoenn region." Burke clarifies. It stands as still as stone, unfazed as it's spoken about.

"Oh I almost forgot, these were found with you as well." Mr. Burke pulls a bag up from the ground onto a table. He unzips it and carefully pulls out two small eggs. He hands them to Max. They feel smooth, heavy and warm. "Pokémon?" Max asks in excitement. Burke nods with a smile. Eevee begins to sniff all around them. One with a silver coat, the other a faded light blue. "They're both healthy, don't you worry." "You know, it seems as if you were an established trainer, you have quite a diverse team at your disposal." "Yeah" Max says in disbelief.

He's definitely right, one day I'm drowning in loneliness, the next I have a full set of Pokémon with me. "I really can't believe it." Max looks around at each one in awe. "Well listen, I know it will take time for your recovery, you can stay at the farm with us until your situated, it's nothing fancy, chores are a requirement of course, but it'll be just until you're on your feet." "Oh...no B...Mr. Burke I couldn't do that, that's a burden and a half." "I make the decisions on what I choose as my responsibilities, it's already decided." He says with his eyes closed, hands together behind his back. Dylan watches with a smile. A loud gulp can be heard coming from Max's throat in the silence that follows.

"Chansey!" The healing Pokémon walks in pushing a smaller bed with three Pokémon sitting on top. "Are these Pokémon with me to?" Mr. Burke and Dylan glance at each other. "Yes and...no." "You see, all these Pokémon we brought you first, have their Pokeballs, they were found inside them on your belt, these three however, were found out on the beach right along with you, with no Pokeballs assigned to them." "Strange thing is, when scanned with a Pokédex, it shows them as already belonging to a trainer."

A Meditite sits up right on the bed, it's eyes closed and hands together, a small white egg sits on its lap. Suddenly a long thin bed sheet rises off the bed slowly. "Oh nah..." "nope!" Dylan backs up into the wall behind him covering his ears. "I don't do ghosts, I'll take on a Ryhorn over a Gastly any day!" The sheet flies across the room stopping about a few inches from Max's face. He inches backwards terrified, his skin a pale white. It hovers in front of his face as if it were examining it. He shakingly pulls off the sheet. Everyone sighs in relief. A Castform floats up and rubs its cheek against Max's face, "you know me to?" Max laughs and looks back at the small bed, the white egg...no longer just an egg. A small Pokémon stands on the hand railing of the bed staring, meeting Max's stare.

"What kind of Pokémon is that?" He asks. "This little breakfast delight is called Togepi" Dylan says walking over to it. He reaches his arms out to grab it and is met with a karate chop, slamming him face first onto the tile ground. Mr. Burke chuckles, "I warned you Meditite is very protective of it, you can only touch Togepi if it chooses to interact with you first, otherwise Meditite will attack." Togepi runs into Max's arms crying in happiness. He hugs tight and comforts it while keeping an eye on Meditite in the distance who is watching carefully. "I mean no harm, I can't remember a thing, I'd love your help to remember who I am." Max says to it who now closed one eye while in meditation, keeping the other locked on Togepi. "Interesting bodyguard" he says to Togepi, tickling it.

"Dylan, Mr. Burke, thank you, seriously thank you both so much for helping me, checking up on me and bringing all these guys here." "I don't feel as alone now, I can actually start to get to know everyone." "Not a problem, I already asked the nurse to bring two incubator's for the eggs; I left our contact information on the table there if you need anything from us" Mr. Burke says, grabbing his hat, he holds it to his chest and takes a quick bow. "Get better fast Light, we'll hang soon!" Max cracks a smile. "Right on" Dylan says shutting the door behind him. Max looks around, all eyes on him. Friendly faces, others wary and nervous, and some, Max looking at Trapinch, just blank.

A few hours pass, Max snores fast asleep, it's midday. A crowd of people outside the hospital can be heard through the open window. "It's him...I have no idea" a woman's voice says, waking him up. He rubs his eyes making out a woman standing a few feet from his bed holding a phone up to her ear. She wears a small dark red skirt with a black top. A loose tie hangs around her neck. She has on black, knee high boots. Her hair in a high ponyta tail, with her long brown hair falling down to her skirt. "Oh he's up!" "I'm gonna call you back, sweets." She says while chewing gum. She hangs up the phone careful not to damage her long, sharp, red nails. "Hi sweets!" "Excited to see me?!" He blushes, "Who are you?" She giggles. "That's cute, I'm actually intrigued, how'd you do it?" "I mean, we were thorough, you weren't on any manifest, you were nowhere to be seen, was it a plan?" She runs her fingers down her long ponyta tail, chewing her gum, waiting for a response. "Look I can't remember anything on how I got here, okay?" "I don't know if your serious or if this is a game to get some information from me, but I don't have anything for you." "If you're one of those journalist, you can leave now, I got nothing." She stands still, squinting her eyes. She locks them on his, studying them.

"Oh my...you're serious?" "Well what luck." She once again giggles, menacingly. "And here I thought starting in this very dirty, horrid room that I was going to have to destroy this hospital." "Just wipe it off the map." She giggles some more, continuing to play with her hair. "Yeah, funny, I think you should leave." Max points to the door. She sucks her teeth and spins around. "This is not as fun as I thought it would be, but it works out I guess."

She walks to the door and stops right in front of it. "If by chance something does come to mind sweets, remember these words...everyone is gone, you have no one." "Don't get any ideas, just give up, I'm warning you now, okay?" A dark, evil feeling looms over Max after the statement. He waits patiently for her to leave. "What's this?!" She says aloud, poking the incubator of one of the eggs. "Hey, I said leave." Max repeats in a more demanding tone. "It's so cute, did your brother give you this?" Max shakes his head in confusion and anger. "I always wanted to be a mother, children...they disgust me, I couldn't bother with that." She looks over at Max, explaining as if both were partaking in the conversation. "But a Pokémon...I could be a mother." "Leave!" Max gets up from his bed and starts to walk over to her. She stops chewing her gum and looks at him from the corner of her eye.

A shadow inconspicuously hidden in the corner of the room, suddenly starts to move, heading quickly across the wall. Max and the three Pokémon not of his team look on as it stops right beside him and starts to materialize, coming out of the wall.

Max falls backwards on his butt. The all white Pokémon, gets right up to his face, it's eyes large and a dark purple, it terrifies him. The woman giggles. "This is my baby now, okay." "You're nuts" Max whispers to himself. "Think of it as payment for all the mess your brother caused Theory." She backs away slowly with the egg in hand. "No!" Max says reaching his hand out as she disappears out the door. The ghostly Pokémon suddenly expands in size, it's face widening. It's just an illusion Max, it's not real it's just some type of ability, it's a trick. He closes his eyes.

It launches a loud, blood curdling screech just a few feet from his face. The glass of water shatters. The attack is so powerful, a gust of wind fills the room, blowing the sheets on the ground, chairs and tables flip over. Meditite blocks Togepi with its body as things start to slam against the wall. The Pokeballs containing his team are tossed around the room. He covers his ears, curling up into a ball on the floor. He can feel things flying over his head, smashing all around the room. After about a minute, it's now silent. He lifts his hands slowly from his ears and opens his eyes. The apparition is gone, so is the woman.

A few seconds later Holland barges through the door. "What happened?!" He yells. Max, trying to catch his breath, looks behind him through the open door, down the long empty hallway. He puts his hands on his head and then looks back at Holland in shock. "How did you not see her?" "See who?!" Holland asks kneeling down putting his hand on Max's shoulder. "Get off me!" Max stands up straight and backs away from the detective. His confusion quickly turns into one of doubt. A helpless feeling starts to sink in as he stares at the detective. Not only is he now being hunted, he's starting to realize, besides his newly reconnected team, he might be a lot more alone then he thought in this new, frightening reality.

Chapter One ~ End


	2. Chapter 2: The Deal

_**CHAPTER TWO: THE DEAL**_

"When will he be released?" "Can you comment on his current state of health?" "Where are his parents?!" "Is it true he was attacked by a Sharpedo?!" Reporters swarm a podium just outside Cherrygrove hospital. The Cherrygrove chief of police wipes the sweat off his forehead with his sleeve as he tries to answer each question as generically as possible. Vans with small satellites plug up the streets causing frustration. The resulting car horns are deafening. "He is resting as you can imagine, we have no new information at this time, we will update you when we do." The chief stumbles his way off the podium.

"What are we supposed to do with that?!" A young reporter says from the crowd. "Ridiculous" She says disgruntled, putting away her Navi in her shoulder bag labeled "GlobalPokenet." She rolls up the sleeves and halfway unzips a thin red jacket she wears over a white under shirt. A black belt wraps diagonally around her waist over matching red shorts. She pulls out a sitrus berry from her bag and feeds it to a Ledyba sitting on a red cap she's wearing. It has a small lens strapped lightly to its forehead similar to a bandana, recording the commotion around them. "We're not getting anything here lady, let's go" She says backing away from the crowd. "How is a journalist suppose to eat?!"

She makes her way through the busy streets to a local cafe. The waitress pours some hot coffee into her cup. She slouches back in her chair, blows a piece of hair out of her face, looking up at the sky, helpless. Ledyba flies onto the table to eat some grapes in a bowl left in the center. "I have to find a way in there, that's the only way I'll get anything worthwhile." "UGH!" A woman yells angrily at a nearby table. The journalist watches as the woman stands up with her sleeve soaked. She appears to be a nurse, she takes her white coat off and hooks it in back of her chair, coffee dripping on the ground beneath it. "I am so sorry Ma'am" the waiter responds dropping to the floor with a roll of napkins. "It's..it's fine, ugh", the nurse says walking into the restroom. The journalist squints at the coat, noticing a name tag on it. A wicked smile forms across her face.

…..

"Sir I'm going to need you to back up" one of the officers by the hospital front doors yells. The crowd asking questions one after the other in excitement, they inch closer and closer to the doors. "Excuse me" a nurse says walking by the officer, she flashes her name tag, "head right on through ma'am." The disguised nurse speed walks into a closing nearby elevator. She smiles to a nurse waiting inside and leans her back against a wall, closing her eyes in relief. "Are you okay?" An angelic voice asks in front of her. She opens her eyes to an older woman, a nurse dressed in scrubs, her hair up in a clean bun. The journalist, now disguised as a nurse Lucy, follows the woman's eyes to her sleeve. It's rolled up and stained brown from the spilled coffee. "Oh it's fine, had a little accident earlier." "Oh hun, you need to get that changed out you're dripping." The concern in her voice was something new for Lucy.

"In from Goldenrod?" The woman asks, Lucy responds with a nod. "They are always sending new nurses to us without any warning, how are we supposed to get you guys familiar, unbelievable, I'm Cheryl." "I'm Lucy, and yeah it's...it's ridiculous, just not the way things should be" Lucy says trying to end the conversation, making as least eye contact as possible.

The elevator doors open following a loud ding. "Follow me hun, I'll show you the west wing and get you cleaned up." "No, no, I'm okay, really, I have to...pick up some paperwork from upstairs." "Nonsense, not with a shirt like that, come." Faux Lucy closes her mouth and breathes heavily from her nose, aggravated. She flashes a fake smile and follows the older woman out. A loud noise stops both woman, keeping them frozen in place. Coming from a few floors above, it lasts a few seconds and fades. A screech of sorts, inhuman, bone chilling. The journalist looks at the nurse, whose hand is over her heart. "Someone must have brought in a Pokémon, something big, I need to get to Rick" She says walking away. "Take this hall down and ask for Diana, she'll get you all set up hun!" Faux Lucy nods her head and slides back in the open elevator inconspicuously.

A receptionist on the third floor stops typing, she hears a low hum. She looks around the small waiting room in front of her, only two people are sitting nearby, both of which are sleeping. She takes a sip of her tea and continues to type only to stop once again when the sound gets louder, a buzz echoing around the room. "What is that sound?" She says to herself. The receptionist gets up off her rolling chair and walks out to the waiting room. She ducks down as Lady suddently flies passed her head coming out of a hallway nearby. "Are you kidding me!" It hovers around her and flies down a hallway on the opposite side of the room prompting to chase it. She grabs a broom and runs after it. The journalist peeks out from around the corner of the hall lady came from. She moves quickly, on her tiptoes to the desk and researches room numbers tied to names. After a few clicks she looks up from the screen. One of the patients waiting, an older man now awake is watching her. She smiles and waives nervously. "...Max Doe, no last name...seems right." Footsteps nearby have her drop behind the desk. Two security guards run passed the desk and down the hall following the receptionist. "They said west wing, over here!" "What is going on today?!" One asks the other. She waits for the sounds of rattling keys to fade. She gets the information and dashes back to the elevator. "Excuse me, how much longer is it?" The old man asks. "I have no idea, good luck".

The doors open on the sixth floor, an old, vacant receptions desk greets her. The journalist quietly makes her way out and down a long hallway. It's empty, each step she takes echoes. No nurses, patients or staff. "They opened this floor just for the kid."

After a few turns down the empty top floor, she walks up to a room labeled A612...Max's room. An empty chair sits on each side of the door. The guards running past her downstairs she thinks back. She collects herself, reaches for the doorknob and walks in.

Max stands by the side of his bed with his head down, his long brown hair covering his face, picking up some sheets from the ground. They lock eyes. "Hi, I'm Lucy" She says pointing to her name tag. "How are you feeling?" Max looks up at her, a look of pure frustration on his face. He ignores her question and continues to reorganize the mess left from the encounter with the mysterious woman. She looks around the room, Meditite is standing by Max's bed, Togepi behind him. Castform sits on the bed staring innocently at the journalist. There are a few Pokeballs on a small table by the window. "I was sent here to check up on you see if you need anything?" "How's that memory coming along?" "Ofcourse you are, I'm terrible." Max says looking up at her, in a defeated tone. No Sharpedo bite...liars, she thinks.

"What's wrong?" She asks pulling up a chair. "Don't." Max snaps at her before she is able to sit. The journalist stops in place, thrown off by the hostility. "You're nurse Lucy huh?" "Yes, is there something wrong?" "Yeah there is actually, Lucy's been working with me for a while now, as bad as my memory is, I would hope I know how she looks by now." Her eyes open wide, tongue tied up as she searches for the right words. "Are you going to tell me your a different Lucy with the same L. Initial for a last name?" The journalist, usually quick and witty with her words, now stumped and silent.

Max walks through the sun bathed room over to the small coffee table and grabs a Pokeball. "Are you with her?!" "I already spoke with the detective, you can drop this act, he's right down the hall!" He holds the Pokeball out in front of him. The journalist let's go of the chair and slowly puts her hands out infront of her, "okay, hey, I don't know who your talking about, I'm a nur…" "Your lying!" He yells shaking his head. "Okay, okay...easy…" "My name is Ellie, I'm a journalist for a news website, I just wanted to get some information for my blog." Max tilts his head to the side for a brief second and closes his eyes as he sighs in relief, dropping on his bed.

"This was the only way for me to get in to get to you." "I'll only print what you approve nothing more, I just want a story and yours is trending, it's the most fascinating in Johto at the moment and I would love if you let me tell it" Max crosses his arms against his chest, "what makes you think I want my story told?" "How did you even get in here?"

"You lost your memory right?" "You can't remember how to get home, I can help you, the site I belong to is very popular, it reaches all crevices of the world web, to all different regions." "Whoever does know you and wants to know where you are, I can help make the chances of them finding you much greater than what they are now." Max scratches the top of Castform's head with his shaking hand, thinking. "I'm sure I've had enough coverage, if I do have anyone out there they would have found me by now."

Ellie notices his hands, she looks at Castform peeking out from under the sheets. A few medical supplies still liter the floor. Meditite whose eyes are locked on her, stands ready to attack, keeping Togepi behind its back. "What...happened here?" Ellie asks as she starts to feel the thin air in the room. "What did you mean when you asked if I was with her, who is she?" "Actually, I heard something earlier, a loud noise, does it have to do with that?" Max stares at her, wary. She sucks her teeth pulling out her Navi. "Look." She scrolls through her digital credentials on the screen. Max, hesitant yet overwhelmed with loneliness, wanting to confide in someone, chooses to start explaining to her.

…..

"What did this detective do?" "Do you know what kind of Pokémon it was?" Ellie asks in disbelief. Max shakes his head and puts his hands up in the air, falling back in his bed. "He said he would handle it and for me not to leave this room." "He doesn't want me going anywhere, I don't know what his plans are only that he needs me here." "Max you're not in any trouble though, I can't see why you couldn't just leave if you wanted to." "I guess, I'm still trying to figure out how the woman got in, what she wanted...maybe Holland is in on whatever this is." "Hm, a whole operation, you would never think." "...Actually, you know what, figures" she says with an attitude, nodding her head. Max chuckles. "That's the first time I laughed since I've woken up...thank you for that." Ellie smiles, "so, lost boy of the sea, what's next for you if you can't go home?" Max stares at the Pokeballs on the small nearby table and then out the sunlit window, silent. "I don't know, it's really overwhelming, I'd hope my memory is back...I just don't know." Ellie lightly punches his leg playfully "whatever it is, you'll never realize it in here!" Max runs his hand through his long hair pushing it back. "Believe me I know, this hospital, these four walls are suffocating, I feel so trapped." "Best part is now I have people I don't even know trying to make sure I don't remember who I am, by force and they have my egg!"

"If I told you right now that I can get you out of here, sneak you away from this place, from Holland, what would you want to do?" Max's eyes drag over to the Pokeballs on the table again. Ellie's follow, she pokes the side of her cheek with her tongue. "Let's make a deal, I'll get you out of here and as far away from this mess as I possibly can, I'll be that push you need." Max leans forward in his bed, "what's the catch?" "Well, I'm a journalist" she says adjusting her cap. "Let me follow you with a camera, whatever it is you decide to do, at least for the next couple of weeks, I want to document your journey of building a new life after losing your old one." "It'll give you the space you need, anyone interested in your story can get the answers they want through a screen far away from you; if someone important reaches out they go through me, I'll filter out everything else." Max looks away with a face of hesitation. "People are interested in your story Max, use me to tell it, your side, raw and unfiltered." He looks at the Pokémon around him, slides off the bed and walks to the window, looking out at the busy, sunlit streets. The Pokémon battle on the TV fills the silence, the volume low but just enough to make out the excitement of the narrator and crowd.

Ellie takes a step forward, "look…" a feint ding from the other side of the sixth floor stops her, they look at each other. "I need a decision now!" She says closing the room door. "Ellie what if I'm some bad person, what if I did something bad that Holland hasn't told me about and that's why he's keeping me here?" "Max someone would have said something by now, something would have came up, you need to stop thinking about the what if and eventually just make a move, don't let Holland or anyone dictate what your next step is here, YOU need to take that step, you need to move forward on your own terms." Heavy footsteps echo closer down the hall. "I know this is all so fast and nuts, but I'm asking you to take a chance and trust me." He looks back at the Pokémon and then to her...he nods his head.

Detective Holland swings open the door, the bed sheet hangs halfway off the bed. The Pokémon and Pokeballs gone along with Max and his new journalist friend. Holland's hands ball up in fists, he pushes passed a few security guards that came up with him and sprints back towards the elevator. "Dammit!"

"Excuse me!" A nurse says walking quickly passed Ellie whose in complete disguise. She pushes a bed across a long hall on the second floor. Max and a few Pokémon are hidden underneath the thick white sheets. "Stay down, we're almost there" she whispers to him. As they turn the corner, Holland appears, sprinting towards their direction. Ellie stops in place as the tall, intimidating detective runs right up to her. Her hands cold, her feet numb. "Nurse, where can I find the B-Security office?" "At..the end of the hall back there, you make a right…" "Thank you" he says looking down at Max's messy, long brown hair, sticking out from under the sheets. Holland looks up at Ellie studying her face and then back at the bed. "He really shouldn't have his face covered" Holland says reaching for the sheets to pull down and expose Max's face. "He has a migraine!" Ellie yells out, stopping Holland halfway, "the light is to strong for him at the moment!" She pulls the sheets even higher, covering Max's exposed hair, "now if you don't mind!" Holland takes a step back, "I apologize." She pushes the bed passed him. Max let's go of the deep breath he had been holding throughout the exchange, he wipes the sweat from his forehead.

Holland takes Ellie's directions and makes his way down the hall leading him to a small rec room filled with candy and drink machines with no security office in sight. An officer runs up to him from behind, "Sir, the top four floors have been searched and cleared, no sign of him, this floor and the first are being searched now." "He had to have help, he disappeared so quickly." "We have deputies at the farmer's residence now, we don't believe he had any knowledge of plans he might have made to leave." "Sir, they are the only people whom he's had contact with, if it wasn't them...the only other theory we could come up with is…" "A nurse" Holland says, grinding his teeth. He pushes passed the officer, running back down the hall.

Ellie carefully closes the door to a room full of supplies. Castform floats out from under the covers, inhaling deeply. Max hops off the bed. "You already planned this, you knew I would say yes." Ellie winks and throws a black sweater and a pair of baggy, gray joggers at him. Footsteps can be heard running passed the door. Ellie opens the window, Lady and a Chikorita wait down below. The second floor window leads to an alleyway separating the hospital from a large Pokemart next door. Ellie climbs onto the window ledge, she turns to Max, holding her cap in place as the breeze picks up outside. "You ready to get outta this place?" "Out another window?" Max asks cracking a smile. She leans backwards and slides out. Max's smile turns into shock as he runs to the window. The horror quickly turns to relief as Chikorita's vine whip brings her down safely. He sighs. Castform makes its way out. Togepi follows with Meditite closely behind. Lady flies up to the pair and slowly grabs onto Togepi, Meditite hesitantly letting go. As it prepares to jump, some jingling keys sound right outside the door. Max takes a few steps back and freezes watching the doorknob turn. Meditite glances over at Togepi, fearful of the distance between them. Just as the door opens, it slams shut. A blue hue forms around it. Max looks behind him, Meditite's arm is held up using its abilities to hold it shut. It signals to him with its eyes. "Thank you" he whispers running passed it to the window.

The floor security guard barges in the room after a long minute. It's empty. The breeze coming through the window is strong. He looks around, under the bed, out the window...the room is clear.

The newly acquainted escapees walk swiftly a few blocks down. Lady now resting on Ellie's head. Castform on Max's shoulder and Togepi in his backpack. Meditite walks alongside them. The busyness of the small city is dizzying. The strong sunlight, noises from the cars and people keep Max close to a panic. His eyes everywhere, taking in everything he couldn't see while in the hospital for weeks. He tries his hardest to focus on the floor in front of him, when that quickly fails he starts to focus on small details of his surroundings. Storefronts are covered in flowers, trees are surrounded by small gardens throughout the sidewalk. Pedals dance in the wind, a beauty the city is known for.

"What's the plan?" he asks, keeping his head down, hoping to not be recognized. "Well, lost boy of the seas, we have to get you to New Bark Town to meet with Professor Elm and hopefully get you registered as a trainer." His head swiftly turns in response. She winks back. "Hold on, when did that become the plan?" "The moment I was told you were found with a team of six Pokémon and when I asked what was next for you, your eyes seem to go either to the Pokeballs on the table or the TV screen watching them battle." Max laughs nervously. "Seems like you were a trainer in your past life, this should be something easy and natural for you to jump into." "It'll be the perfect distraction until your memory comes, it'll also keep you paid."

A loud car horn cuts them off. Ellie turns to see a car drive up to the curb beside her. "Ms."! Detective Holland comes out of the car and walks straight to her. "You're a nurse at Cherry Grove hospital?" Ellie nods nervously. "Yes I believe we met briefly, they're having a role call of every staff member that has worked today, have you gotten the emailed memo?" "N-no" she replies reaching for the Navi in her pocket. "Please get back as soon as possible, it's very important, do you need a ride back?" "N-n-no, I have to take my friend first to…" she turns around as she's speaking...Max is gone. She looks all around her...not a trace. A suspicion starts to fill in Holland's mind, "what was your name again?" he asks. Ellie exhales in defeat, letting her head fall back, closing her eyes. She opens them slowly and stares at the suspicious detective with no answer. "I'm going to need you to come with me."

Chapter Two ~ End


End file.
